Many Malibu residents have never seen one, but scorpions are surprisingly common in Malibu and while none of the local species are considered dangerous, they can deliver a painful sting.

Often described as bugs, scorpions are actually arthropods, and are more closely related to spiders than they are to true insects.

Scorpions occasionally turn up inside a house or garage, but most encounters occur outdoors and sting reports tend peak in late summer, when humans are more likely to be outside at night and to go barefoot.